What Does it Mean to Have Myopia?

Do you find it difficult to read items at a distance? Are you forced to squint in order to read street signs? These are common symptoms of myopia. What is myopia? It’s the visual condition that is more commonly called nearsightedness.

In other words, it’s easier to see items that are closer than ones that are further away. Squinting is a sign that a person is becoming nearsighted.  If this sounds familiar, your Optometrist might give you a myopia diagnosis during an eye exam.

Correcting the effects of myopia often requires prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. Some patients elect to have corrective vision surgery to avoid the hassle of prescription glasses.

Read More About Myopia

What Is Myopia?

Your eye is a complex organ composed of multiple parts. The cornea is the outer surface of your eye. It protects the lens of your eye as it focuses the light. Any light that is filtered through your cornea and lens is projected onto your retina.

The retina, which sits toward the back of the eye, receives the light coming through your lens. It has a relatively large surface area. If the distance between your retina and the cornea is too long, the light will focus in front of the retina’s surface rather than on the retina itself.

To compensate for the incorrect light focus within their eyes, most people squint or try to change the distance from which they are viewing an object. This brings the item back into focus, making text clearer and easier to read.

What is the Main Cause of Myopia?

Myopia occurs when a cornea becomes too steeply curved or an eyeball grows too long.  The light entering the eye does not come to a clear focus point on the retina, which is required for clear vision.

Common Myopia Symptoms

Nearsightedness symptoms may include:

  • Headaches caused by eye strain
  • Difficulty seeing while driving, especially at night
  • Squinting to see clearly
  • Distant items are blurry

Can Myopia be Cured?

There is no cure for nearsightedness or Vision problems caused by myopia but usually, the condition is fully corrected with corrective lenses eyeglasses and/or contact lenses, or laser eye surgery. See your local Myopia treatment specialist to find the best treatment for your Myopia.

Degenerative Myopia

Nearsightedness can be simply a minor inconvenience and poses little or no risk to the eye’s health. But sometimes, myopia can be severe and progressive, and it is considered a degenerative condition.

Degenerative myopia, also called pathological myopia or malignant, is a relatively rare condition believed to be hereditary and usually begins in early childhood. About 2 percent of Americans are afflicted with a form of myopia.

Diagnosing And Treating Myopia

There is some evidence that myopia is becoming more common, possibly due to our reliance on electronic devices whose screens stress our eyes. It’s important to find an experienced myopia doctor in your area who will be able to diagnose and treat your myopia using advanced treatments like orthokeratology.

Myopia Specialist

Eye patients in the San Fernando Valley are fortunate to have Dr. Barry Leonard. He is an experienced Optometrist who specializes in myopia diagnosis and treatment. If you call the Valley your home, call Dr. Leonard’s office, or schedule your eye exam online. His experienced, friendly team will be pleased to help you with all your vision care needs.